 |
Book
Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
| Home / Reviewer's
Bookwatch |
Reviewer's Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Andrea Kay's Bookshelf
Advanced Flower Essence Healing
David Dalton
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
www.innertraditions.com
9798888502457, $29.99, PB, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Flower-Essence-Healing-Frontiers/dp/B0FJ76LMF7
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/advanced-flower-essence-healing-david-dalton/1147859942
Synopsis: With the publication of "Advanced Flower Essence Healing: New Frontiers in the Field of Bach Flower Remedies", flower essence producer and practitioner, David Dalton draws upon his on 35 years of experience as a comprehensively to explore the field of flower essences. He honors the pioneering work of the past and details the developments that are hallmarks of the field's present.
It was Dr. Edward Bach who discovered the first 38 flower essences in his work to alleviate the root cause of disease, which he found to be a split between one's personality and soul. In advancing this work, David Dalton details how to make and use additional flower essences, beyond Bach's original 38, including how to store them to maintain their potency. He gives methods for determining the action of the flower essences he has used for specific situations, including plant attunement, reading the elemental energy of each plant, and observing flower structure as it relates to the chakra system.
Sharing his in-depth interview process, Dalton also explains how to review a client's past and present stresses, traumas, emotions, behavior patterns, and physical imbalances to create a full clinical picture and determine which essences to use. He shows how to select and combine flower essences based on the client's need for support and grounding and their readiness to process past experiences. He then shows how to target thoughts and behaviors for change, how to move stuck emotions, how the body processes stress and trauma, and how to release trauma and triggering shadows with flower essences.
Elevating Dr. Bach's work for modern needs, "Advanced Flower Essence Healing: New Frontiers in the Field of Bach Flower Remedies" brings flower essence healing forward into an advanced system for a healthier life.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout, this trade paperback (8 x 0.7 x 10 inches, 1.04 pounds) edition of "Advanced Flower Essence Healing: New Frontiers in the Field of Bach Flower Remedies" by David Dalton is exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Homeopathic Medicine & Herbal Remedy collections and supplemental Alternative Medicine curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, members of the medical profession, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Advanced Flower Essence Healing: New Frontiers in the Field of Bach Flower Remedies" from the Healing Arts Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.99).
Editorial Note: David Dalton (https://deltagardens.com) is a pioneer in the flower essence field. He has worked as a flower essence practitioner, producer, researcher, and teacher since the 1980s. He is the founder and principal of Delta Gardens, a center for flower essence study and research, and the originator of Partnership Energy Transmission, a process for the relief of trauma, anxiety, and physical symptoms.
Herbal Pharmacy
Betzy Bancroft
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781645022770, $44.95, PB, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Pharmacy-Preparing-Administering-Medicine/dp/1645022773
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/herbal-pharmacy-betzy-bancroft/1147382993
Synopsis: More and more people are turning to herbal remedies for healing, whether they are purchasing those remedies or making them on their own. Herbalists want their clients to have good experiences with these remedies, both to help them heal and to foster a positive regard for herbs and, by extension, the healing power of nature.
"Herbal Pharmacy: The Science and Magic of Preparing and Administering Plant Medicine" by Betzy Bancroft is in-depth DIY guide that teaches its readers respect, care, and understanding for all aspects of preparing herbal medicines, to ensure what they make is safe and efficacious.
Individual chapters comprising "Herbal Pharmacy" directly address making herbal extractions in water, oils and fats, alcohol, vinegar, honey, glycerin, and other media, supplemented with easy-to-follow tables and charts. "Herbal Pharmacy" also covers the practical aspects of administering herbal remedies: figuring dosage, duration of care, and the specifics of deciding how to apply a remedy to produce the best outcome.
Throughout "Herbal Pharmacy", Betzy Bancroft (a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild who has been educating for over three decades) provides detailed instructions to help even inexperienced or anxious medicine makers successfully design and prepare their own recipes for effective remedies.
Critique: It is somewhat ironic that one of the driving forces behind the increasing use of herbal medicines are the high prices of corporate pharmaceutical company are charging for their drug. Nicely illustrated throughout and an ideal introduction to the DIY approach to creating medicines from herbs for a wide variety of human ailments, "Herbal Pharmacy: The Science and Magic of Preparing and Administering Plant Medicine" is an extraordinarily 'user friendly' and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Alternative Medicine & Herbal Medicine collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for organic chemistry students, novice and practicing herbalists, alternative medicine enthusiasts, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Herbal Pharmacy: The Science and Magic of Preparing and Administering Plant Medicine" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $31.99).
Editorial Note: Betzy Bancroft has been teaching herbal medicine making for more than three decades at herbalism schools and events. Betzy is one of the founders of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, where she teaches classes including medicine making and formulation, and is a mentor for clinical interns. She also teaches and often leads herb walks at Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary and is a regular presenter at the Vermont NOFA winter conference. She is on the advisory board of United Plant Savers.
Andrea Kay
Reviewer
Andy Jordan's Bookshelf
Financial Cheat Codes: How to Win the Game of Finance
Sean Dempsey
Peter E. Randall Publisher
www.perpublisher.com
9781942155898, $29.95, PB, 220pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Cheat-Codes-Game-Finance/dp/B0FMZPQMBZ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/financial-cheat-codes-sean-dempsey/1148078697
Synopsis: In the world of finance, everything you think you know is WRONG! The so-called 'conventional wisdom' about money, investing, and wealth-building is nothing more than a trap -- a blueprint for mediocrity. Most investors are doing everything backwards, recklessly gambling with their financial futures by ignoring the principles that could secure their freedom.
But here's the truth: life has shortcuts -- hidden 'financial cheat codes' that the wealthy have been using for generations. These cheat codes aren't just tools; they are game-changers that can catapult you out of the soul-crushing 'Rat Race,' obliterate financial uncertainty, and pave the way for Generational Wealth. Imagine Passive Income (PI) exceeding Monthly Expenses (ME) - not just surviving, but thriving in true financial peace.
With the publication of "Financial Cheat Codes: How to Win the Game of Finance", money management and investment expert Sean Dempsey provides a DIY guide to escaping the sluggish, uphill grind of the financial status quo. Dempsey reveals exactly where to find these cheat codes and, more importantly, how to wield them like a master. If you are ready to abandon the losing strategies that have kept you stuck and take control of your financial destiny, the roadmap is here. The only question is: will you use it?
Critique: An ideal introduction to financial management and investment strategies, "Financial Cheat Codes: How to Win the Game of Finance" by Sean Dempsey is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly 'how to' manual that is ideal for anyone with an interest in planning for retirement, creating a successful investment portfolio, budgeting, and 'real world practical' money management strategies. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Money Management/Financial Investment collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Financial Cheat Codes: How to Win the Game of Finance" from Peter E. Randall Publisher is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.02).
Editorial Note: Sean Dempsey (https://seandempsey.com) is an avid investor and entrepreneur. He owns rental properties across New England as well as nine successful businesses in New Hampshire. Currently Sean's focus has pivoted to writing full time -- nurturing a growing passion for storytelling, mentorship, and education. Over the last 15 years as an entrepreneur, Sean has built a solid foundation in digital marketing and business management. He founded and ran three separate New England marketing agencies (with a collective value over $7M). Sean also built eight additional startup companies involving short-term and multifamily real estate. Now a full-time author, Sean's narratives and business insights are shared with a broader audience, encapsulating a journey from digital landscapes to the tangible world of poetry and prose.
Finally Hopeful
James Greenblatt, MD with Bill Gottlieb, CPHC
https://www.jamesgreenblattmd.com
Rodale Books
9780593980163, $28.00, HC, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Finally-Hopeful-Personalized-Whole-Body-Depression/dp/0593980166
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finally-hopeful-james-greenblatt-md/1147297658
Synopsis: Major depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting more than 21 million American adults and 3.7 million of our youth each year. And yet, the current one-size-fits-all medical model for psychiatric treatment of depression does not work for a significant portion of patients. Antidepressant medications are often treated as a magic bullet, but the truth is that depression is a complex mental and physical condition, influenced by nutrient intake and absorption, body chemistry, metabolism, genetics, hormones, food sensitivities, stressful life events, social support, and many other factors.
With the publication of "Finally Hopeful: The Personalized, Whole-Body Plan to Find and Fix the Root Causes of Your Depression", functional psychiatrist Dr. James Greenblatt offers a new model of treatment that acknowledges that depression is not "all in your head," but in your body.
Dr. Greenblatt provides a unique guide to optimizing the nutrients, hormones, neurotransmitters, and many other biochemical factors that play a major role in most cases of depression. It is vital to address these physical factors using testing that customizes treatment to the individual, and "Finally Hopeful" outlines what tests you need; how to read the results for practical action; and how to work in conjunction with your physician. You will also gain key insights into antidepressants and feel empowered in seeking the answers you deserve.
A functional psychiatry approach recognizes that depression has many causes and often requires a range of therapies, both drug and non-drug. "Finally Hopeful" makes the whole-body approach available to everyone, delivering real hope and relief.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented for the non-specialist general reader interested in understanding and dealing with chronic depression, "Finally Hopeful: The Personalized, Whole-Body Plan to Find and Fix the Root Causes of Your Depression" by Dr. James Greenblatt (with the assistance of Bill Gottlieb), is enhanced for the reader's benefit with a Conclusion (The Future of happiness), an Appendix (More Resources), twenty-two pages of Notes, and a nineteen page Index. Deftly presented in four major sections (Psychiatry Redefined; Nutritional Healing; Medical Care, Behavioral Care, and Self-Care; A New Approach to Antidepressants), "Finally Hopeful" will prove to be an informative and thought-provoking read for medical professionals as well. While this hardcover edition of "Finally Hopeful" from Rodale Press is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Psychology collections and supplemental Mood Disorder/Depression/Anxiety Treatment curriculum studies lists, it should be noted by psychology/counseling students, practitioners, academics, and members of the public with an interest in the subject of Chronic Depression and how best to deal with it that "Finally Hopeful" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note #1: A pioneer in the field of functional medicine, James M. Greenblatt, MD, has treated patients since 1988. He is the founder of Psychiatry Redefined, an educational platform to train clinicians in integrative and functional medicine for ADHD, and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine. Dr. Greenblatt has lectured internationally on the scientific evidence for nutritional interventions in psychiatry and mental illness and is a leading contributor to helping physicians and patients understand the role of personalized medicine for mental illness. He is the author of eight books. (https://www.jamesgreenblattmd.com)
Editorial Note #2: Bill Gottlieb, CPHC, is one of America's most successful health book authors and journalists, and a certified professional health coach. He has authored and coauthored eighteen published books, which have sold over three million copies and been translated into 11 languages. (https://billgottliebhealth.com)
Andy Jordan
Reviewer
Carl Logan's Bookshelf
Draw Like a Mangaka: Anatomy
Marcel Kuhn
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9781577157137, $19.99, PB, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Draw-Like-Mangaka-Comprehensive-Anatomical/dp/1577157133
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/draw-like-a-mangaka-marcel-kuhn/1148262036
Synopsis: Aspiring illustrated and practicing artists can take the figure drawing to the next level with "Draw Like a Mangaka: Anatomy: A Comprehensive Anatomical Reference - Master Anatomy, Figure Drawing and Poses" by Marcel Kuhn -- the ultimate DIY guide to mastering human anatomy.
Kuhn provides a structured approach to learning how to draw the human form, breaking down complex anatomy into manageable, easy-to-follow steps with high-quality photographic references covering every part of the body.
Starting with fundamental 3D drawing techniques, "Draw Like a Mangaka" progresses through structured exercises to develop a deep understanding of body proportions, muscle structure, and movement. From capturing expressive gestures to understanding skeletal anatomy, "Draw Like a Mangaka" provides everything you need to create lifelike, dynamic figures including:
Step-by-step tutorials for constructing human figures with confidence
Comprehensive anatomical references for drawing heads, hands, torsos, legs, and more
Progressive exercises to develop skills from beginner to advanced levels
Insightful tips and humor to keep learning fun and engaging
Techniques for drawing diverse body types and capturing natural movement
Whether you're sketching for manga, comics, illustration, or fine art, "Draw Like a Mangaka: Anatomy" provides the essential knowledge and practice you need to master figure drawing.
Critique: A manga artist (also known in Japanese as a mangaka) is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. This large format (8.5 x 0.32 x 11 inches, 1.17 pounds) trade paperback edition of "Draw Like a Mangaka: Anatomy: A Comprehensive Anatomical Reference - Master Anatomy, Figure Drawing and Poses" from Walter Foster Publishing is exceptionally well written, illustrated, organized and presented -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended instruction manual and how-to guide for manga and anime art students and practitioners. While a choice pick for personal, professional, community and art school library Human Figure Drawing collections, it should be noted for art students that "Draw Like a Mangaka" is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Constantly overtired, dependent on sweets, and permanently at his drawing table, that's Marcel "Draw like a Sir" Kuhn. Marcel shares his manga drawing expertise in entertaining and informative videos on YouTube @DrawlikeaSir as well as in his first how to draw book, "Draw Like a Mangaka". Marcel has illustrated and published several books, including the six-part manga series MYTH.
Carl Logan
Reviewer
Clint Travis' Bookshelf
Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment
Rhae Lynn Barnes
Liveright
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
www.wwnorton.com
Blackstone Publishing
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781631496349, $39.99, HC, 528pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Darkology-Blackface-American-Way-Entertainment/dp/1631496344
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/darkology-rhae-lynn-barnes/1147402742
Synopsis: Not until the publication of "Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment" has the disturbing story of blackface and its piercing reflection of American society been so comprehensively told. With "Darkology", Princeton professor and historian Rhae Lynn Barnes meticulously unravels the complex, subterranean, and all-too-often expunged history of "Darkology" -- the insidious study, commodification, and dehumanization of African American life, through which performers caricatured the enslaved and formerly enslaved for their supposed subservience and happy demeanor.
"Darkology", took Professor Barnes twenty years in discovering and piecing together historical information in the form of fading photographs, old movies, bureaucratic detritus, moldy scripts, and living witnesses, enabling her to uncover the shocking extent to which blackface took center stage in every era of American history.
Black Face exploitation was not a fringe activity. By 1830, as political resistance to slavery grew, it exploded from a niche performance into a venomous national export. Within a decade, hardly a theater in the country didn't put on minstrel shows. Following the Civil War, this grotesque entertainment soared, seeping from professional theaters into everyday amateur shows, print, and advertisements. It was everywhere: Elks Clubs, religious institutions, battlefields, universities, and schools.
It wasn't just in the Jim Crow era; it defined it. The very name "Jim Crow" derives from minstrelsy's founding character.
"Darkology" dismantles the myth that blackface was a fleeting, post - Civil War phenomenon. Even in eras known for liberal progressivism, it flourished. Professor Barnes unearths the startling fact that four-term president Franklin D. Roosevelt was a devotee who died hours before a blackface show he had commissioned at Warm Springs. It permeated U.S. military bases and was even used in World War II Japanese American concentration camps and German POW camps as a bizarre tool of "Americanization".
After WWII, the tide began to turn as Black veterans and mothers in places like suburban California protested the practice in schools. Still, blackface performances proved resilient, surfacing as late as 1969 at the University of Vermont. Even as the Civil Rights movement fought for equality, blackface remained present in American politics and white supremacist organizing through the Nixon and Ford administrations, its legacy still percolating in variable forms today.
By tracing minstrelsy's evolution through oral histories, material culture, and a wide range of multimedia sources, compels the read to confront with the myriad ways the American Dream wore blackface.
Critique: A unique, seminal, and groundbreaking study, "Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment" by Professor Rahe LynnBarnes is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a section of color illustrations, fifty pages of Notes, a nineteen page essay (When The American Dream Wore Blackface), a two page listing of Abbreviations, and a fourteen page Index. "Darkology" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library African-American & American Cultural History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Darkology" from Liveright is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (979-8228926653, $45.95, MP3-CD).
Editorial Note: Rhae Lynn Barnes is an assistant professor at Princeton University and the Sheila Biddle Ford Foundation Fellow at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. (https://history.princeton.edu/people/rhae-lynn-barnes)
Clint Travis
Reviewer
David Rullo's Bookshelf
Time & the River: From Columbine to the Invention of Fire
Tim Miller
S4N Books
9798985161144, $11.99 pbk / $TBA ebook / $TBA audiobook, 106 pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Time-River-Columbine-Invention-Fire/dp/B0FPR4TJXN
Time and the River is a historical poetry collection for the ages... [The book] is comprised of 52 poems, covering various historical guideposts, including Iron Age burials, Israelite prophets, the Cold War, Columbine, Michelangelo and Shakespeare, to name a few.
Taken as a whole, the collection accomplishes what Thomas Wolfe's main character attempts in a novel sharing a title with Miller's work: it finds meaning, belonging and direction in the world. The search crosses millennia and epochs, identifying new ways to connect with topics one might more often expect to find in Ph.D. dissertations than poetry collections.
Miller opens the book with "Dylan Klebold's Crush," and while many might have trouble identifying with a mass shooter, most readers will have no problem making a connection with a high school girl who was the crush of a boy whose two paths have taken vastly different turns in life. Similarly, in "Merlin," Miller twists the camera's focus from Camelot or Guinevere, recycled so often in myth and fantasy, to a man contemplating the passage of time and his body.
Scattered throughout the collection are several poems with Jewish themes. In "Europe, 1941-1945," Miller writes about the Holocaust, and the writing is as plaintive and filled with emotion as much of the work written in literature that has contemplated the tragedy and human expense of the 6 million murdered. "Ezekiel" takes a personal look at the prophet, who is "broken-hearted at forty-three... I am white-chested at forty-three... I am forty-three and tired of memory." Thoughts more expected to be spoken by a father who has weathered the storms of everyday life than one of the most significant biblical prophets. Moses, Jacob and Abraham are all portrayed in similar ways - as men and people rather than religious patriarchs who may be difficult for some to identify.
And that, perhaps, is the hidden trick of Miller's book and poetry: He makes us identify and care about subjects and people far outside our current lens.
In Time and the River, Miller hasn't written a collection of poetry that will be pulled out for specific holidays and then tucked away for the remaining 364 days each year. Instead, he's done what good poets do: crafted interesting poems that make one ponder the state of man and his or her place in the world. It's a worthy read that deserves to be added to anyone's poetry shelf.
David Rullo, Reviewer
Original article at Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle
Debra Gaynor's Bookshelf
The Final Target
Nora Roberts
St Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/stmartinspress
9781250413581, $21.00 Hardcopy, $39.99 Audiobook
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Target-Nora-Roberts/dp/1250413583
Arden Bowie was a novelist; she met him at her first book signing. He purchased several books and asked her to sign each one. He came to her next event also and the next... He claimed to be an aspiring writer asking for her help. Arden wasn't comfortable around the man and it was against her better judgement, but she finally agreed to have coffee with him. She should have listened to the warning bells. He was obsessed with her.
His name is Dustin and he is Arden's stalker. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years in a psychiatric facility.
Arden slowly recovered from the assault and moved to a small town in Oregon. As she was perusing the delightful shops searching for items to decorate her new home she met Gideon, a former police detective.
Unexpectedly, Dustin is given an early release. His focus is on revenge.
The characters were well developed. I loved Arden and Zooey. Gideon and Joe were strong and perfectly created. Who wouldn't love Jamie. Dustin was the perfect villain. When you put all these together and add some secondary characters and you've got a real winner. The dynamics of Arden's family were heartwarming. They all gathered around her offering support and love.
This tale is character driven. I found myself connecting to Arden. I felt as if I was right there with her. Dustin was a terrifying killer. He was obviously criminally insane. I kept hoping Arden would do him in permanently.
Author Nora Roberts is an expert at combining romance and suspense to create a thriller. January LaVoy is my favorite narrator; she has a way of bringing the characters to life.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. In return I provided an unbiased review.
Debra Gaynor, Reviewer
www.hancockclarion.com
https://www.facebook.com/book.reviews.by.debra.2025
Israel Drazin's Bookshelf
Joseph Albo: Collected Writings
Shira Weiss, editor
The Library of the Jewish People
c/o Koren
https://korenpub.com
9781592647057, $44.95, 1766 pages
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Albo-Collected-Shira-Weiss/dp/1592647057
Koren
https://korenpub.com/collections/the-library-of-the-jewish-people/products/joseph-albo-collected-writings
Albo: Collected Writings, edited by Shira Weiss, is an important and welcome contribution to the study of medieval Jewish philosophy, making the thought of the Spaniard Joseph Albo (1380-1444) newly accessible to contemporary readers. Bringing together a full presentation of Sefer ha-Ikkarim along with Albo's lesser-known responsum, this volume offers both breadth and depth, illuminating a thinker often overshadowed by figures like Maimonides (1138-1204) and his own teacher, Hasdai Crescas (1340-1410/11). The book is 1753 pages long, and contains the original Hebrew on the left-hand pages and an easy-to-read modern English translation on the right.
Albo's approach to Judaism diverged from Maimonides ' emphasis on rationalism. He was influenced by his teacher, Hasdai Crescas, who emphasized faith and the observance of mitzvot (divine commands), an easier form of Judaism than the rigors of Maimonides' rationalism.
At the heart of the collection lies Sefer ha-Ikkarim, a systematic and remarkably clear articulation of the fundamental principles of Judaism. Albo's project - to define the essential beliefs necessary for a coherent Jewish theology - places him squarely in conversation with Maimonidean rationalism. Yet what distinguishes Albo is his willingness to temper philosophical abstraction with a deep emphasis on faith, tradition, and lived religious commitment. Rather than constructing Judaism purely as a rational system, he insists on the centrality of divine command and covenantal obligation.
The translation in this volume is its major strength. It renders Albo's often intricate arguments into readable, fluid English without sacrificing precision. Weiss's editorial guidance is equally valuable, helping situate Albo within the intellectual and historical turbulence of 15th-century Spain - a period marked by religious disputation and communal instability. This context is essential for understanding why questions of dogma, authority, and belief were not merely theoretical but urgent and existential.
Particularly noteworthy is the inclusion of Albo's responsum on the qatlanit. (The galanit or katlanis) is a Jewish legal term for a woman who has been widowed twice, literally translating to "killer-wife". Due to the belief that she is dangerous and may cause the death of a third husband, the Talmud prohibits her from remarrying. However, modern rabbinic authorities are generally lenient, allowing for remarriage in many cases.) Though the discussion is brief, it reveals a different facet of Albo's intellectual personality: a halakhic decisor grappling with concrete legal and ethical issues. This addition enriches the volume, showing that Albo was not only a systematic theologian but also an engaged rabbinic authority.
Philosophically, the work's enduring relevance lies in its balanced approach to faith and reason. Influenced by Crescas's critique of Aristotelianism, Albo resists the idea that rational philosophy alone can ground religious truth. Instead, he presents a framework in which belief in God, revelation, and divine justice form the irreducible core of Judaism. While some modern readers may find his arguments less analytically rigorous than those of Maimonides, others will appreciate their accessibility and theological sensitivity.
The clarity of the translation and editorial support mitigates the difficulty that readers without a prior background in medieval philosophy may find; the book is easy to read and clear.
Overall, Joseph Albo: Collected Writings is a significant scholarly achievement and an entry point into one of the key voices of late medieval Jewish thought. It will be indispensable for students and scholars, and rewarding for general readers interested in the enduring questions of faith, reason, and religious identity.
The Gavriel Tirosh Affair
Written by Yitzhak Shalev (1964)
Translated by Hillel Harkin (2026)
Koren
https://korenpub.com
9781592647132, $19.95, 252 pages
Koren
https://korenpub.com/products/the-gavriel-tirosh-affair
Readers of The Gavriel Tirosh Affair will find that the book increases their understanding of the history of the reestablishment of the State of Israel in 1948, why despite the multiple advantages the small Jewish population in Palestine in the 1930s gave to the Arab population the Arabs could not accept Jews in the country, and why the British assumption of control of Palestine from 1936 to 1939 forced the Jewish populations at that time to be passive while the Arabs were murdering Jews.
Most significantly, while the book deals with Palestine in the 1930s and the violent attacks by the Arabs in 1929 and 1936-1939, and the book was written before the current US and Israeli joint attacks against Iran, this book will help readers understand Iran, the US, and Israel more deeply.
The Gavriel Tirosh Affair was written by Yitzhak Shalev (1919-1992) in 1964. Shalev was a novelist and poet. It is based on Shalev's personal experiences as an adolescent in the 1930s. It describes the rise of the Jewish underground resistance that repudiated the Jewish community's culture of "restraint." It was translated from Hebrew by Hillel Halkin in 2026. Halkin is considered by many to be the best translator from Hebrew to English. It contains a Foreword by Ruth R. Wise explaining why the novel is interesting, even fascinating, and relevant, and a discussion by Yiftach Ofek giving readers an easy-to-follow historical context for this important book.
A young, 28-year-old, handsome, charismatic teacher arrives in Palestine after escaping Nazi murders. Despite being German, he speaks Hebrew better than most Jews. He is very knowledgeable about the different areas in Palestine and the history of the various locations in the country. He begins to teach a high school history class on why the Crusaders failed to hold the country in the past and why Jews will similarly fail unless they show strength. He selects five students from his class for special instruction: four boys and a girl who falls in love with her teacher, a love that cannot be returned. In his room is a picture of an older couple who might be his parents, as well as a photograph of a beautiful girl whom he does not want to discuss.
Gavriel taught his five disciples that: "The fate of this country will be decided by offensive, not defensive, action." Also: "You have no idea what the Jewish people are capable of." And: "We're going to be a pack of young wolves whose howls will have the Arab villagers quaking in fear."
New Russia: Images from a Journey
Written by I. J. Singer
Translated by Joshua A. Fogel (2026)
Toby Press
c/o Koren
https://korenpub.com
9781592647415, $19.95 paperback, 224 pages
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/New-Russia-I-J-Singer/dp/0761872833
Koren
https://korenpub.com/products/new-russia
This book by I. J. Singer was translated by Joshua A. Fogel in 2026. Israel Joshua Singer was a Polish-Jewish novelist who wrote in Yiddish. He was born on November 30, 1893, and died on February 10, 1944, at age 50 in New York, NY. He was the brother of Nobel Prize Winner Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902-1991, died at age 88). He is the author of books such as Yoshe Kalb (1932), The Brothers Ashkenazi (1936), and The Family Carnovsky (1943), all of which are still enjoyed today.
Both Israel Joshua Singer and Isaac Bashevis Singer were major, well-liked Yiddish writers, but their writing styles, themes, and outlooks differ. While they shared a Jewish and Polish cultural background and the Yiddish language, their approaches to storytelling and to the interpretation of Jewish life diverged significantly. I. J. Singer wrote serious novels that often resemble European realist literature. His novels depict Jewish communities within the larger political and economic systems. He explored class struggles, industrialization, and the collapse of traditional society. His works often portray an entire community or generations, showing how history shapes Jewish life. Religion appears in his works largely as a social force rather than a mystical or theological influence.
His younger brother, Isaac Bashevis Singer, wrote in a psychological and often mystical style. His stories focus on personal problems and conflicts. Ghosts, demons, dybbuks, and other spiritual beings frequently appear, along with questions of life and purpose, reflecting Hasidic folklore and Jewish mystical traditions. His characters wrestle with desire, guilt, faith, and temptation. He often added irony and dark humor. While his brother wrote many novels, he himself became famous for his short stories and books such as The Magician of Lublin, Gimpel the Fool, and The Slave.
The younger brother, Isaac Bashevis, deeply admired I. J. Singer initially considered him the greater writer. I. J. helped him begin his literary career and introduced him to the Yiddish literary world. After I. J. died in 1944, Isaac Bashevis became the better-known figure, eventually winning the Nobel Prize in Literature.
In late 1926 and early 1927, I. J. Singer traveled on an assignment by the Yiddish newspaper Forverts through Soviet Russia. He visited many cities in the Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Crimean Republics. Being keen of mind, he became deeply acquainted with the countries, cultures, history, and people. He reveals much of this in 34 chapters that read like a fascinating novel, filled with delightful short stories about Jews and non-Jews and featuring many characters.
New-Russia: Images from a Journey offers remarkable snapshots of the Soviet Union during a brief but revealing historical moment. The book captures the Soviet experiment as it was still taking shape. Although seemingly simple travel impressions, the work reads as a deeper novel: a perceptive and unsettling portrait of a society already showing signs of the authoritarianism that would later define the tragic era of Joseph Stalin.
Singer approaches the Soviet Union not as a tourist but as a journalist with a keen eye for contradiction. His sketches of cities, institutions, and everyday encounters are vivid. The narrative style reflects his background as a novelist and as a reportage writer: brisk, observant, and anecdotal. Yet beneath these travel snapshots lies a probing analysis of the revolutionary state. Singer notices not only the enthusiasm of the new order but also the growing bureaucratic machinery, the omnipresent surveillance, and the gradual erosion of hopeful revolutionary ideals.
What makes the book particularly striking is Singer's foresight. Writing less than a decade after the Russian Revolution, he identifies developments that would later become the terrible hallmarks of Stalinist rule - rigid bureaucracy, expanding police authority, and ideological conformity. Even more troubling are his observations about the persistence and reemergence of antisemitic attitudes despite official proclamations of equality. From a Jewish intellectual traveling through Soviet territory, these insights carry both personal and historical weight.
The translation by Joshua A. Fogel is clear and accessible.
Here we see I. J. Singer is crafting elaborate narratives recording history in spiraling motion. His descriptions, written "in a moment," as he himself admits, nevertheless acquire lasting significance because they capture a society shifting at a critical crossroads.
New-Russia: Images from a Journey is more than a travelogue. It is an early, perceptive warning about the direction in which Soviet society was heading. For historians of the Soviet Union, students of Yiddish literature, persons interested in the early days of Ukraine, and readers interested in firsthand observations of revolutionary change, Singer's account remains both fascinating and sobering. The book demonstrates how a perceptive traveler, even during a short visit, can sometimes see truths that later history tragically confirms.
Israel Drazin, Reviewer
www.booksnthoughts.com
Jack Mason's Bookshelf
How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
Franklin Foer
HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780066212340, $27.86 HC, $9.94 PB, $12.99 Kindle, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-Soccer-Explains-World-Globalization/dp/0066212340
Synopsis: "How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization " by Franklin Foer is a seminal and groundbreaking study and when first published in 2004 was declared to be one of the five most influential sports books of the decade by Sports Illustrated. This new edition from Harper Perennial will be significantly appreciated by a new generation of soccer fans and students of the impact of professional soccer on international affairs.
"How Soccer Explains the World" is a unique and brilliantly illuminating look at soccer, the world's most popular sport, as a lens through which to view the pressing issues of our age, from the clash of civilizations to the global economy.
Critique: Informative, insightful, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization" by Franklin Foer is a solid and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Soccer History collections and supplemental Sociology of Sports curriculum studies lists . It should be noted for the personal reading lists of readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "How Soccer Explains the World" from Harper Perennial is also available in paperback (9780061978050, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Franklin Foer is a staff writer at The Atlantic and former editor of The New Republic. He is also the author of several books, including most recently The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden's White House and the Struggle for America's Future. He lives in Washington, DC, with his family. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/6829.Franklin_Foer)
Jack Mason
Reviewer
John Burroughs' Bookshelf
What Do You Do When Your Dog Grows Old?
Jackie Short, author
Lucy Pickett, illustrator
Red Comet Press
https://www.redcometpress.com
9781636551715, $14.99, HC, 32pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-You-When-Your-Grows/dp/1636551718
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-do-you-do-when-your-dog-grows-old-jackie-short/1148019714
Synopsis: What Do You Do When Your Dog Grows Old? is a tender, poetic tribute by Jackie Short to the dogs who have walked beside us through all the seasons of our lives. With soft, heartfelt verse and emotional depth, Jackie Short gently guides readers through the bittersweet journey of loving (and eventually letting go of) an aging dog.
"What Do You Do When Your Dog Grows Old?" is beautifully written poem captures the quiet changes of time: tired paws, fading sight, and the wisdom in a graying face. Yet in every line, there is love -- unwavering, devoted, and full of grace.
Perfect for dog lovers of all ages, "What Do You Do When Your Dog Grows Old?" is both a celebration and a farewell, a comforting companion for anyone facing the inevitable goodbye. A timeless keepsake. A love letter. A healing balm for the heart.
Critique: Especially and unreservedly recommended to the attention of anyone and of any age who has ever had a canine companion of their own, "What Do You Do When Your Dog Grows Old?: A Poem by Jackie Short" is original, emotionally compelling, wonderfully articulate, and enhanced with the colorfully charming illustrations of Lucy Pickett. If you have an aging canine companion or are someone whose cherished dog has passed away, then "What Do You Do When Your Dog Grows Old?: A Poem by Jackie Short" is certain to be highly prized and will comfortably linger in the mind and memory long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.24), "What Do You Do When Your Dog Grows Old?: A Poem by Jackie Short" is an ideal and welcome addition to personal, community, and college/university Contemporary American Poetry and Pets/Wildlife collections.
Editorial Note: Jackie Short is a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin. She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her award-winning German Shepherd dogs and two beloved cats. Her free time is spent training dogs and writing music, poetry, and short stories. What Do You Do When Your Dog Gets Old is her debut publication.
Editorial Note #2: Lucy Pickett (https://lucypickett.shop) is an illustrator and small business owner based in London, England. Despite her urban location, Pickett is a nature lover at heart and celebrates wildlife and conservation in her artworks. When she's not drawing, she can be found drinking cups of tea or walking Paddington, her beloved sausage dog.
John Burroughs
Reviewer
Julie Summers' Bookshelf
Tidy Less, Live More
Don Suttajit
Live Freely Project
https://livefreely.co
9798993236827, $28.99, HC, 290pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tidy-Less-Live-More-Identity-Based/dp/B0GHT8Z5G4
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tidy-less-live-more-don-suttajit/1148810521
Synopsis: The message of "Tidy Less, Live More: An Identity-Based Approach to Decluttering and Organizing Your Home and Life" by Don Suttajit is that your home isn't just full of stuff; it's a mirror of identity. Stop tidying. Shift within to live free from messy patterns.
On the outside, you hold it all together: the job, the people, and other demands of busy life. But on the inside (that is, inside your front door) lurks a mess that persists. Piles return, space vanishes, weekends disappear to cleaning. Despite storage systems and cleaning hacks, you're caught in a cycle of maintenance, guilt, and frustration.
The truth is, clutter isn't the real problem. It's a symptom of something deeper: a conflicted identity. "Tidy Less, Live More" introduces a new way forward-an identity-based approach to decluttering and organizing. While most home-organizing books will tell you how to physically clean a room, Tidy Less, Live More addresses the root cause of clutter. By aligning your space with self-awareness, you'll finally create lasting order and free your time for what matters most.
Suttajit knows what it's like to be overwhelmed by clutter. He has lived it himself. Then, as a brand strategist and certified life coach, he blended identity, design, and psychology to create a method for profound breakthrough for better living. Bridging self-discovery and practical systems, "Tidy Less, Live More" is less about managing stuff and more about knowing yourself and what you love-so your home finally follows.
With "Tidy Less, Live More" you will discover:
Why most tidying solutions fail and why real change must come from within.
The hidden role of ego in clutter and steps to create an authentic self and home.
Why our attachment to things is really a search for self and how self-love clears your space.
How to design spaces and systems that naturally maintain order and support your life.
How to spot limiting beliefs that fuel self-sabotage and adopt a mindset shift for new outcomes.
Stop letting the mess control your story. Your home should support you, not drain you. With the identity-based approach laid out by Suttajit, you will be able to tidy less and live more!
Critique: Original, fascinating, and motivating, "Tidy Less, Live More: An Identity-Based Approach to Decluttering and Organizing Your Home and Life" is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections and the personal reading lists for anyone struggling with home and life cluttering and pack ratting life style and mental health issues. An ideal DIY instructional guide, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Tidy Less, Live More" from the Live Freely Project is also readily available in paperback (9798993236803, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Don Suttajit (https://www.donsuttajit.com) is a brand strategist, life coach, and the founder of the Live Freely Project. With over 15 years of experience in brand identity and design, he has built a career helping organizations define who they are and communicate their value. Now, Don brings that same expertise to the personal side of life, guiding individuals to clarify their identity and create environments that reflect their true selves.
Snarky Crochet: Irreverent Patterns, Jokes & Puns for Silly Stitchers
Lisa Ha
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9780760399682, $19.99, PB, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Snarky-Crochet-Irreverent-Patterns-Stitchers/dp/0760399689
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snarky-crochet-lisa-ha/1148467956
Synopsis: From viral crochet creator Lisa Ha, "Snarky Crochet: Irreverent Patterns, Jokes & Puns for Silly Stitchers" is a bold and brilliantly petty pattern book that is specially designed for makers who want to turn their feelings into fiber. Whether it's pettiness, irritation, heartbreak, or straight-up spite, there's a project here to help you stitch it out with sass.
With 15 lippy crochet patterns that blend sarcasm, humor, and passive-aggressive charm, "Snarky Crochet" simply redefines what a craft book can be. Along with the patterns, you will find a hefty supply of crochet jokes, practical listicles, and must-learn tips, like how you can keep crocheting when surrounded by idiots.
"Snarky Crochet" includes
15 cheeky patterns (the Middle Finger Cactus, Spite Stripe Scarf, Cat Butt Coasters
Beginner-accessible instructions so anyone can join the petty party - no matter their skill level.
Tips for customizing projects to throw even more shade with your stitches.
Listicles, jokes, and fiber puns for endless crochet fun!
Inspiration for gifts, gag projects, and yarn-fueled emotional catharsis, each pattern is an outlet -- whether you're crocheting a revenge project for an ex-friend, or just need a reason to cackle while you craft. Lisa's voice is equal parts hilarious and empowering, inviting you to be unapologetically yourself and have fun with your yarn.
Perfect for punk-hearted fiber artists, and anyone else who is tired of pastel bunnies and cozy cliches, "Snarky Crochet" is a needlecrafter celebration of humor, honesty, and handmade rebellion. Use it to start conversations, get a laugh, or just vent in the most productive (and passive-aggressive) way possible. Because sometimes the best way to heal (or roast someone) is one stitch at a time.
Critique: Original, unique, colorfully illustrated, and a bit iconoclastic in spirit, "Snarky Crochet: Irreverent Patterns, Jokes & Puns for Silly Stitchers" is a fun, extraordinary, and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft/Crocheting instructional reference collections. It should be noted that this trade paperback (8 x 0.32 x 8.5 inches, 13.8 ounces) edition of "Snarky Crochet" is also readily available from Walter Foster Publishing in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Lisa Ha uses comedy as the secret ingredient to get more people interested in crochet. A crochentertainer (crochet + entertainer) known as Get to Hooking Crochet on social media, her irreverent tongue-in-cheek humor is broadly enjoyed by audiences across the globe, whether they crochet (yet) or not. Born in the US into a large, boisterous family of Vietnam War refugees, Lisa was taught to crochet at age eight by one of her many aunts and never stopped. Her dry humor and approachable teaching style help make the ancient art of "hooking" accessible to total beginners while keeping things interesting for seasoned pros.
Julie Summers
Reviewer
Kirkus Reviews
Verse by Verse: A Daily Devotional Through the Whole Bible - Volume 1: Genesis 1-11 - Where the Story Begins
Benjamin McGreevy
Independently Published
9781916606791, $29.99 PB, $4.99 Kindle, 746pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Verse-Devotional-Through-Genesis-Begins/dp/1916606792
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/verse-by-verse-benjamin-mcgreevy/1149273817
A debut author reflects on the Book of Genesis in this religious devotional.
To McGreevy, each verse in the Bible carries equal weight in terms of its import and meaning, from inspirational stories of heroes and patriarchs to more obscure genealogies. "Every page, every sentence, every word," he asserts, carries God's "breath, His Truth, and His heart." Driven by this belief, the author states his intention to write a massive 104-volume series of daily devotionals that will walk readers through all 31,102 verses of the Protestant Bible's 66 books.
This first volume, a massive tome with more than 700 pages, covers only the first 11 chapters of the Book of Genesis, which McGreevy describes as "the cornerstone of the Bible." These chapters take readers from the stories of creation and Adam and Eve through the narratives of the global flood and the Tower of Babel. Each verse is accompanied by a brief commentary and reflection that combines biblical exegesis with a reflection on the verse's practical applicability to the daily lives of contemporary Christians. This approach encourages readers to prayerfully meditate on single verses, and the text includes lined blank pages for personal journaling to help readers foster "a personal dialogue between [themselves] and God."
The book's underlying theology takes a distinctly evangelical, literalist interpretation of biblical passages. The author's analysis of the creation story, for instance, argues that the biblical account discredits "random evolution" and suggests that dinosaurs could not have "lived and died before Adam." In surveying the detailed genealogies of Genesis Chapter 5, the author notes that the "extraordinarily long lifespans," which include Methuselah's ripe old age of 969 years, should be acknowledged for their "historical precision" and are indicative of "God's providential design throughout human history." Another devotional speculates that the "sons of God" described in Genesis Chapter 6 may be fallen angels who interbred with humans to create a new hybrid species.
Readers from other religious backgrounds, including Christians from other denominations, will likely remain unconvinced by McGreevy's theological interpretations. The author sticks to the Protestant canon (as opposed to the 73-book Catholic Bible or other versions used in various Orthodox churches), touting the "academic rigor" of these devotionals, though McGreevy does not systematically engage with Christian thinkers outside of his evangelical perspective, nor does he support his assertions with references to scholarly sources.
The work's strength lies not in its academic bona fides but in the author's approachable writing style, which generally succeeds in its mission to offer like-minded Christians practical tips on how to apply even the most obscure passages to their daily faith practices. For instance, Bible verses that go into detailed descriptions of Noah's Ark - down to precise dimensions and types of wood used - may comfort the faithful with the implication that God has specific, detailed plans for their lives as well. While his messages may not resonate with readers who don't share McGreevy's evangelical outlook, those who find his views on Christian doctrine in line with their own will appreciate this accessible introduction to one of the Bible's most enigmatic books.
An approachable, if theologically niche, verse-by-verse devotional covering the first 11 chapters of Genesis.
Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com
Laurie Nguyen's Bookshelf
The Witch Doesn't Drown in This One
Amanda Lovelace
https://amandalovelace.com/index.html
Andrews McMeel Publishing
https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com
9798881611149, $18.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/witch-doesnt-drown-this-one/dp/1524890049
I received this book and am leaving a voluntary review.
The Witch Doesn't Drown in This One, by Amanda Lovelace, is a book of poetry that caters to the scorching, seething, murderous delight known as feminine rage. The book is divided into two parts: the bitch fire rages on and the everlasting flood. Both parts glorify the disgusting beauty that encompasses women's perseverance, and encourage readers to find empowerment in such dark places. Each lyric uncovers sparks that, when put together, craft dark intentions for any proponent of the patriarchy.
This collection was a marked improvement over To Make Monsters Out of Girls. It could be because I agree with the subtle violence glorified in the book, or the fact that the words, I feel, cradle my beliefs. But regardless, it's a book that debuted during an auspicious time; with the release, and subsequent attempts to discredit the Epstein files, particularly from an administration led by an orangutan whose puppets breastfeed him and change his diapers every so often, Lovelace doesn't hold back. With calls from the Salem Witch Trials, to impossible beauty standards women have to uphold, Lovelace acknowledges the seemingly hopeless situations. However, she doesn't leave readers dry; she reminds them that we, as women, have survived worse.
The collection reminds me of the album, Bleeds Out by Within Temptation. The album is based on various struggles that minority groups have faced domestically and internationally. One song, Cyanide Love, was based on the invasion of Ukraine, and the Ukrainians preserving their national pride, regardless of the tribulations Putin throws at them. Another song, She Bleeds Out, screams in no uncertain terms the struggles of women's rights in Iran, particularly in the case of Mahsa Amino, a 22-year-old woman who was killed by Iran's morality police after not wearing a hijab. The fact that much of the population, Muslim and otherwise, cried in outrage over this nonsensical murder has spoken volumes to the brutality of the government.
I've already written down several lyrics that will go into my art journal for the time being. Maybe I'll go further and use some of her poetry as spells for my own sake. That being said, this poetry collection was truly spun from a woman's wildest dreams, and, much to my pleasure, does not hold back. Because of this, I'm happy to give the book a 5 out of 5.
The Librarian of Auschwitz
Antonio Iturbe
Henry Holt & Company
https://henryholt.com
9781627796187, $19.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Librarian-Auschwitz-Antonio-Iturbe/dp/1627796185
The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Antonio Iturbe, centers on a young girl's efforts to preserve stories and hope, even amid unimaginable terror.
Based on the experience of Dita Kraus, Iturbe tells the harrowing story of a 14-year-old Dita who resides in Auschwitz with her parents. Because of her stubbornness, Freddy Hirsch asks her to safeguard eight library books, many of which are crucial to the education of both the children and adults, as well as their mental and emotional health. As the stench of death erodes the illusion the Nazis try to engulf Auschwitz in, Dita continues to protect the books, adding to the library living stories that have no doubt touched the lives of so many.
Viktor Frankl, a renowned therapist and Auschwitz survivor, developed logotherapy to help people find meaning in suffering and maintain spiritual freedom. In parallel, Dita's dedication to books demonstrates the therapeutic power of stories, which provide comfort and resilience. Just as my husband and I often find solace in our own library, the importance of storytelling, especially in adversity, becomes clear through Dita's actions.
Moreover, in the book, there was a scene in which hopelessness permeated the page. Even with overwhelming dread, Dita still read a story to the residents of the camp, bringing a small sliver of hope in the shadows. The scene reminded me of the TV show, The Handmaid's Tale; Commander Lawrence reads a book to the women and children as they prepare to flee to Canada. Ironically, the book he chose to read was The Little Princess, an act of rebellion against Gilead's oppressive regime, of treating women as little more than toys. Similarly, though the Nazis saw the residents of Auschwitz as little more than animals, undeserving of education. Dita's act of defiance, by asking members of her community to preserve their stories, and her reading the books to the other children, symbolize that same resilience.
Something that made me giggle a little was that, despite the bleakness of the situation, gallows humor still pops up from time to time. One quote I will always remember can be found towards the beginning of the book, where one of the characters exclaims, quite honestly, "We're in Auschwitz. What do you want me to do? Take out life insurance?"
I remember studying about the Holocaust throughout my high school and college years. As Iturbe had demonstrated, it wasn't just Jews that were affected, but so many others as well. Anyone who didn't fit into the mold of the perfect Aryan soldier was treated as a second-class citizen, and then later, slaves to an Empire that acted as their executioners. True, the Jews bore the brunt of Hitler's rage. However, as Freddy had so painfully illustrated, there's a hierarchy, and should you present as anything less than perfect, any flaw that others may perceive must be hidden or stamped out.
Towards the end of the book, Iturbe had so helpfully supplied what happened to the real-life inspirations of the characters in the book. I was happy that Dita was safe, as was her friend. While I was disappointed that the infamous "Angel of Death" had fled, I was satisfied to know that his family chose not to carry on his murderous legacy. As such, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars, and would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about the strengths of people who survived countless massacres, such as the American Slave Trade and Israel's horrific abuse of Gaza.
Laurie Nguyen, Reviewer
https://theugliestsinnersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Margaret Lane's Bookshelf
The Pressed Flower Handbook
Sarah Holland
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
https://quarto.com
9780760399828, $26.99, HC, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Pressed-Flower-Handbook-Connecting-Preserving/dp/0760399824
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pressed-flower-handbook-sarah-holland/1148176834
Synopsis: "The Pressed Flower Handbook: Simple Methods for Connecting with Nature and Preserving the Beauty of the Garden through the Seasons - Grow, Gather, Press, Create" is an inspiring and accessible DIY guide to the age-old craft of flower pressing, told through the seasonal rhythms of Sarah Holland's garden. As the artist behind the popular Meadow and Thyme brand, with the publication of "The Pressed Flower Handbook" Sarah brings her thoughtful perspective and sustainable ethos to every page, showing you how to grow, gather, press, and craft with flowers through all four seasons.
"The Pressed Flower Handbook" is richly illustrated book features step-by-step instructions for traditional pressing techniques, storage tips, troubleshooting, and guidance on preserving color and form. It also includes a beautiful collection of creative projects that turn pressed flowers into lasting works of art -- such as wall pieces, greeting cards, and meaningful tokens to share.
Accompanied by gorgeous color photographs and presented in a warm, instructive voice, "The Pressed Flower Handbook" provides:
Season-by-season advice for gathering the best blooms and foliage
Sarah's personal techniques for successful pressing using natural methods
Troubleshooting tips for avoiding mold, fading, breakage, and other potential problems
Project inspiration for art, gifts, keepsakes, and decor
An introduction to floriography, the language of flowers, to add symbolic meaning to your creations
Reflections on mindfulness and slow living, making this book as restorative as the craft itself
Whether new to flower pressing or returning to it with fresh eyes, "The Pressed Flower Handbook" invites the reader to engage deeply with the natural world -- and to create beautiful things that last. It's both a how-to guide and a celebration of sustainable creativity.
Critique: This extraordinary large format (8.25 x 0.73 x 10.25 inches, 1.92 pounds) hardcover edition of "The Pressed Flower Handbook: Simple Methods for Connecting with Nature and Preserving the Beauty of the Garden through the Seasons - Grow, Gather, Press, Create" is magnificently illustrated throughout with full color photography and features a thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation. An ideal introduction to the art of pressed flowers, this comprehensive, step-by-step instruction guide and 'how to' manual, is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library Nature Craft & Flower Arrangement collections. It should be noted that "The Pressed Flower Handbook" from Quarry Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.64).
Editorial Note: Sarah Holland is the founder of Meadow & Thyme, a nature-focused platform where she shares pressed flower art, slow living inspiration, and sustainable gardening tips. Based in Worcestershire, England, Sarah grows all the flowers she presses and is committed to organic, wildlife-friendly practices. Instagram: @meadowandthyme
The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for all Seasons
Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken, authors
Sabrina Arnault, illustrator
Greystone Kids
c/o Greystone Books
www.greystonebooks.com
9781778403088, $22.95, PB, 180pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Play-Handbook-Nature-Based-Activities/dp/1778403085
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nature-of-play-delfina-aguilar/1147646370
Synopsis: Filled with bespoke crafts and seasonal activities for readers young and old, "The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for all Seasons" by co-authors Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken is skillfully illustrated by Sabrina Arnault and is a perfect DIY resource for exploring and engaging with nature and your creative side -- whether you are at home, in your backyard, or at a local park.
Comprised of seasonal recipes, hands-on projects, and detailed guides to plants and animals, "The Nature of Play" also includes:
How to find your way using nature's signs
How to create a leaf mask
How to stargaze and discover solar constellations
How to create seasonal mobiles that celebrate the seasons
How to plant a terrarium, and so much more!
The perfect book for families, forest schools, educators, and anyone looking to connect with the outdoors, "The Nature of Play" inspires curiosity and hands-on learning, making it easy to enjoy and appreciate nature -- wherever you are, all year round.
Critique: This trade paperback (7 x 2 x 9 inches, 1.11 pounds) edition of "The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for all Seasons" is exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation. An ideal resource for fun and educational science and nature themed activities, "The Nature of Play' is an original and unreservedly recommended pick for family, elementary school, middle school, and community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Nature of Play" from Greystone Kids is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.80).
Editorial Note #1: Delfina Aguilar is the founder of Fanny & Alexander, a brand devoted to analogue toys and books that invite children - and the adults who love them - to play more thoughtfully, encouraging imagination, curiosity, and screen-free wonder. She is the co-author of The Nature of Play, Hiccup Makes a Leap, and The Acorn Who Hung On.
Editorial Note #2: Clare Aitken is an author of books for children. She is passionate about nature, community and food and has co-written several books including The Nature of Play.
Editorial Note #3: Sabrina Arnault is an illustrator whose work appears in children's books and activity titles. She also contributed illustrations, alongside Hiromi Suzuki, to Hiccup Makes a Leap by Delfina Aguilar for Fanny & Alexander.
Margaret Lane
Reviewer
Matthew McCarty Bookshelf
The Road That Made America: A Modern Pilgrim's Journey On the Great Wagon Road
James Dodson
Avid Reader Press
https://avidreaderpress.com
c/o Simon & Schuster (distribution)
https://www.simonandschuster.com
9781476746746, $32.00, 402 pgs
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Road-That-Made-America-Pilgrims/dp/1476746745
Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Road-That-Made-America/James-Dodson/9781476746746
The history of Colonial America is a history that keeps changing. The lives of the founders keep being revised, studied, and discussed. The movement of Americans across the frontier is being reexamined in light of modern efforts to incorporate areas such as Sociology, Religion, and Ethnic Studies into a much wider scope of Early America. One aspect of this new interpretation of America is the idea that settlers made a full scale effort to move with the frontier along avenues such as the Great Wagon Road. Author James Dodson has written an engaging look at the place of the Great Wagon Road in Colonial America titled The Road That Made America: A Modern Pilgrim's Journey On the Great Wagon Road (New York: Avid Reader Press, 2025, 402 pgs, US $32.00, CAN $43.00).
Dodson follows the Great Wagon Road and takes the reader along on a pilgrimage that is as emotional and cathartic as it is historical. Dodson begins his journey in Philadelphia, where many early settlers began their journey, taking in a conversation with a Ben Franklin interpretative artist, and follows the Great Wagon Road through Maryland and Virginia, and into North and South Carolina. Along the way, Dodson visits with old friends and comes to terms with events in his life that are larger than just words on the page. The images that Dodson creates with his words are readily identifiable to anyone who has traveled through the Mid-Atlantic region and wondered how their forebears came to call the frontier home. This frontier laid the foundation for the sweeping idea of an America that stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The Road That Made America is an excellent read. Dodson's use of history to underscore his truth seeking journey is an excellent introduction to frontier America. The stunning imagery and characters make this book very enjoyable. The characters come alive and give Dodson an almost firsthand look at both the American family tree and his own lineage. The Road That Made America is a much needed primer of what makes American history so important and so enriching.
Matthew W. McCarty, EdD
Reviewer
Michael Carson's Bookshelf
The Intuitive Magician: Mastering Magic Through Improvisation
Justin Higham
https://justin-higham.com
6th Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781803418971, $35.95, PB, 552pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Magician-Mastering-Through-Improvisation/dp/1803418974
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-intuitive-magician-justin-higham/1147236967
Synopsis: With over 40 years' experience in magic and as one of only a handful of professional magic teachers worldwide, Justin Higham is in a unique position to write about the challenges magicians face in learning and performing magic.
With the publication of "The Intuitive Magician: Mastering Magic Through Improvisation" he offers valuable insights into why magicians find it hard to perform impromptu: why they forget their tricks and why things so often do not pan out as expected. -- I have learned the trick, the method, the patter, the misdirection, so why is it not working for me?
Drawing from over 3500 individual magic lessons given by Higham over the past 12 years, this DIY guide will help the intermediate student reach their goal of becoming an authentic, spontaneous and confident magician. The real secret as revealed here is to master magic through improvisation.
Critique: Recommended for aspiring and practicing intermediate level magicians, "The Intuitive Magician: Mastering Magic Through Improvisation" by master magician Justin Higham is impressively comprehensive, effectively practical, and thoroughly 'read/user' friendly in organization and presentation. The consummate DIY instructional guide and 'how-to' manual, "The Intuitive Magician: Mastering Magic Through Improvisation" is an essential and strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Magic & Illusion instructional reference collections. It should be noted that this trade paperback
(5.5 x 1.6 x 8.5 inches, 1.16 pounds) edition of "The Intuitive Magician: Mastering Magic Through Improvisation" from 6th Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Justin Higham (https://justin-higham.com) is regarded worldwide as one of the leading exponents, creators, teachers and writers on magic. With over 40 years' experience, he is uniquely placed to teach the real secrets of the art. He lives and works in the UK.
Michael J. Carson
Reviewer
Robin Friedman's Bookshelf
Radical Universalism: Beyond Identity
Omri Boehm
New York Review Books
https://www.nyrb.com
9781681379852, $17.95, paperback
New York Review Books
https://www.nyrb.com/products/radical-universalism
Omri Boehm's Radical Universalism
Omri Boehm's provocative recent book "Radical Universalism: Beyond Identity" challenges various philosophical positions of pragmatism, identity, and nationalism (unionism) in favor of a broad philosophically based concept of universal humanism and of truth which is not a product of identity or consensus. Boehm (b. 1979) was born in Israel, received his PhD in philosophy from Yale, and is an associate professor of philosophy at the New School of Social Research. He has written on Kant and Spinoza, the Biblical story of the binding of Isaac, and Israel and Zionism, all important themes in "Radical Universalism". The book received the 2024 Leipzig Book Award for European understanding.
The hero of the book is Immanuel Kant whom Boehm calls the "indispensable thinker". Kant was a hero because he rejected both traditional religious faith and the Enlightenment reduction of humans to "blind nature" and insisted instead that "the concept of humanity must remain abstract: free of biological. zoological, historical, and sociological facts..... In Kant, the idea of humanity was for the first time formulated as a moral concept: What makes humans human is not a natural characteristic but their freedom to follow their duty to moral laws. It is because human beings are open to the question of what they ought to do that they themselves are subjects of absolute dignity." (10)
The book is ambitious in its short scope. It weaves together discussions of Kant's essay, "What is Enlightenment", the Declaration of Independence, and the story of the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22. The discussion of the Declaration of Independence is valuable as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. Boehm argues that the Declaration deserves to be understood more from a Kantian perspective than from Locke. The book heavily critiques contemporary identity theory for denying universal ethics and duty, rather than alleged individual rights as well as efforts to find an answer to identity theory in nationhood and "we" thinking rather than in a broader humanism. The thinkers Boehm considers and critiques include Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr, John Dewey, Richard Rorty, Jill Lepore, Mark Lilla, and many others.
The book would be much more impressive if it developed its philosophical themes at greater length and if it avoided particular political positions. Unfortunately, for me, the book tries to do both. The book praises, justifiably, Martin Luther King, Jr. and his "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" in which he said, quoting St Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all." (72) Other positions Boehm takes might justifiably give grounds for pause. For example he praises and seems to support unqualifiedly John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry which helped bring on the Civil War. He has a great deal to say about the Middle East where he criticizes both Hamas and at least as forcefully Israel for its alleged war crimes against Palestinians.
In the book's Afterword, Boehm writes about how a friend critiqued the manuscript of the book. The friend said: "for better and worse, this is a far-fetched intellectual intervention. The political questions are left open, as are the moral ones. What does it look like when we turn from your theoretical inquiry into the origins of universalism back to politics? You don't get your hands dirty discussing the actual identity debates; how does this defense of the humanism of Kant and the prophets look in the real world?" (153)
In my view, Boehm's friend had matters reversed. The book displays an all-too-great willingness to take absolutistic positions on political issues and to reject the positions of those who do not agree with the author. There are particulars, details, and nuances in human affairs that usually do not lend themselves to this treatment. The lack of full knowledge and the possibility of different perspectives and points of view does not support falling into relativism or "nihilism". But it also is not to insist upon absolutist positions. I think Boehm might have been better served by developing his Kantianism. He points out that Kant's position does not rely on science, religion, sociology, identity. It is an abstract statement of moral duty. This I think is the Kantianism's strength. It is regulative and not substantive. As Boehm points out, some of Kant's own statement on race and on colonization are dubious at best given his moral theory. That applications of a principle are difficult and often conflicting does not negate the value of a principle. As Boehm states many times in his book, Kant's position encourages individuals to think through matters for themselves rather than following an identity, a social consensus, real or otherwise, or even a gifted teacher. This, to me, is the value of what the book suggests but only imperfectly realizes.
I enjoyed reading and thinking about the many issues and texts discussed in Boehm's book.
Heidegger on Being-in-the-World
David Cerbone
Cambridge University Press
https://www.cambridge.org
9781009630108, $23.00, paperback
Cambridge University Press
https://www.cambridge.org/us/universitypress/subjects/philosophy/twentieth-century-philosophy/heidegger-being-world
Heidegger's Being-in-the-World In The Cambridge Elements Series
In the words of the publisher, Cambridge Elements "combine the best features of books and journals to create a quick, concise publishing solution for researchers and readers in the fields of academic publishing and scholarly communication". The books are short, succinct, and endeavor to be authoritative. The books are geared to readers with a serious interest in a subject, typically graduate students, researchers, and scholars. The Cambridge Elements are typically in digital format but also are avaiable in hard copy.
The Elements cover a wide range of subjects, including philosophy. Within philosophy the Elements are arranged in several series, such as Elements in Ancient Philosophy, Elements in the Philosophy of Kant, etc. Each series consists of several short books developing a topic.
One of the Cambridge Elements is on the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. The series is edited by scholars Flipo Casati and Daniel Dahlstrom. It currently consists of 14 studies with a 15th study on the way. The most recent Element is this book, "Heidegger on "Being-in-the World (Elements in the Philosophy of Martin Heidegger)" by David Cerbone, professor of philosophy at West Virginia University. Cerbone has a gift for writing introductory level books on subjects including existentialism, phenomenology, and.... Martin Heidegger. Corbone's book was the first I have read in the Elements series. The publisher made the book available online for a short time before publication. I had the good fortune to access and read it.
"Being-in-the-World" is a critical concept in Heidegger's masterwork, "Being and Time" (1927). Heidegger's book is notoriously difficult as is the concept of Being-in-the World. Cerbone's book helped my understanding. The book is short, unpretentiously written, with many helpful examples. It draws on many of Heidegger's writings together with many secondary sources and studies which are listed in the bibliography.
The book includes 64 pages of text arranged into and Introduction and five chapters. In the Introduction, Cerbone insightfully compares the concept of "Being-in-the World" and Heidegger's attendant concept of "Dasein" to a holograph. The understanding of one term ripples through to an understanding of the book as a whole. The opening chapter explores predecessors to the concept "Being-in-the-World" in Heidegger's writings before "Being and Time". In the second chapter,Cerbone discusses the development of "Being-in-the-World" in "Being and Time" itself, with a focus, in Cerbone's words, on "treating the phenomenon aspectually, that is, as having mutually implicating aspects or dimensions rather than independently characterizable parts. "
In the third chapter, Cerbone explores the significance of "Being-in-the-World" comparing it with various concepts in Kant and in G.E. Moore and assessing its relationship to philosophical skepticism, realism, and idealism. The fourth chapter considers "Being-in-the World" in the works of the "middle" and "late" Heidegger. The book's final chapter works to relate "Being and Time" to the works that came after to suggest continuities and differences.
Cerbone's book drew me into Heidegger again, a thinker I had not read in several years. The book fulfills the goals of the Elements series in offering a brief, scholarly approach to a difficult philosophical subject. I hope to read further works in the Elements series.
The Subject
Bernard Lonergan, SJ
Marquette University Press
https://www.marquette.edu
9780874621334, $15.00, hardcover
Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/subject0000lone
Bernard Lonergan In Milwaukee
The philosophy department of Marquette University, Milwaukee, sponsors an annual lecture, known as the Aquinas Lecture, presented by a distinguished philosopher. Marquette University Press publishes the Aquinas Lectures in a series of small uniformly bound books.
Fifty-eight years ago, on March 3, 1968, Bernard Lonergan (1904 -- 1984) delivered the Aquinas Lecture. Lonergan was a Canadian Jesuit priest, theologian, and philosopher. Among other places, Lonergan taught at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Regis College, Toronto, Boston University, and Harvard University. He wrote extensively, and his best-known work is "Insight: A Study of Human Understanding" (1957). Lonergan remains highly regarded in some philosophical and theological circles. Several institutions, including Boston University, have established a Lonergan Institute devoted to the continued study of his thought.
Lonergan's Aquinas Lecture, "The Subject" is a short introduction to his thought. Lonergan begins:
"There is a sense in which it may be said that each of us lives in a world of his own. That world is usually a bounded world, and its boundary is fixed by the range of our interests and our knowledge. There are things that exist, that are known to other men, but about them I know nothing at all. There are objects of interest that concern other men, but about them I could not care less. So the extent of our knowledge and the reach of our interests fix a horizon. Within that horizon we are confined."
Lonergan's lecture is a short study of epistemology, or how we know. He describes various concepts of "the subject" and their limitations, including the "neglected subject", the "truncated subject", the "immanentist subject", the "existential subject" and the "alienated subject". He argues that the "existential" subject is primary because it includes other forms of the subject and studies man in the world and the search for Being, knowledge, value, and God. While he takes a great deal from existential philosophy, Lonergan argues that traditional philosophical questions about knowledge, reality, and God still need to be considered and explored to avoid falling into the position of the "alienated subject." He finds that the refusal to pursue these questions has led to the difficulties many feel in living a good, meaningful life.
Lonergan's lecture on "The Subject" is special to me. As a young undergraduate student in philosophy who grew up and was attending college in Milwaukee, I remember walking some miles from my home on a March day to hear Lonergan lecture at Marquette to a large, appreciative audience. The memory of what he said was long lost. The lecture gave me difficulty and I did not follow much of it. Still, attending the Aquinas Lecture and hearing Lonergan has stayed with me over the years. I only recently revisted the lecture in the published form and had to reread and struggle with it. It was much different from the experience of hearing it delivered as a young student. The lecture has followed me as part of my lifelong interest in philosophy which continued even as I took another career path. Reading the lecture reminded me of my youth and of the intellectual life of my beloved home town of Milwaukee.
The Silver Swan
Horace Gregory and Marya Zaturenska, authors
Holt Rinehart & Winston
B001R9E41Y, $TBA, hardcover
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Swan-Poems-Romance-Mystery/dp/B001R9E41Y
Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/silverswanpoemso00greg
Poems Of Romance And Mystery
Horace Gregory (1898 -- 1982) and his wife Marya Zaturenska (1902 - 1982) were American poets who have become sadly neglected. Gregory received the Bollingen Prize in 1961 for his "Collected Poems" and Zaturenska received the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 1938 for her volume "Cold Morning Sky." Gregory and Zaturenska frequently worked together including co-editing this anthology "The Silver Swan: Poems of Romance and Mystery" in 1966. This beautiful collection of poems, written primarily for young people, introduces readers to the magic and imagination of lyric poetry. It includes in Gregory's and Zaturenska's words, "elegies, spells, charms, romances and mysteries" together with ballads to show how poetry captures "the mysteries of life, the mysteries of human experience and feeling." The anthology includes works and poets both familiar and unfamiliar together with notes on many of the poems. Wood engravings by Diana Bloomfield enhance the texts.
The book receives its name from the poem "The Silver Swanne. Who Living Had No Note" an anonymous 17th century work set to music by Orlando Gibbons. The poem sets the tone of the volume:
"The Silver Swanne, who living had no Note,
When death approacht, unlockt her silent throat.
Leaning her breast against the reedie shore,
Thus sang her first and last, and sung no more:
Farewell all joyes, O death come close mine eyes,
More Geese than Swannes now live, more fooles than wise."
The poems in the book capture the romance and mystery of "The Silver Swanne". The poems are arranged in ten sections, each titled after a line in one of the poems. They are beautifully organized sets which speak to readers and to the imagination. I will mention the titles of the parts, and a poem from each that moved me.
"Flowers in the Valley" -- "Good Hours" by Robert Frost
"What Terra Lemnia Gave Thee Birth?" -- "The English in Virginia (April 1607)" by Charles Reznikoff.
"Do You Not Hear The Aziola Cry?" --"Helen of Tyre" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
"Flowers for Heliodora" -- "Flowers for Heliodora" by Melanger of Gadara
"The Dancer Lone and White" -- "Orpheus' Dream" by Edwin Muir
"Fair-Haired Angel of the Evening" -- "Water and Shadow" by Marya Zaturenska and "Elizabeth at the Piano" by Horace Gregory
"Three Forms of Heccate" -- "Impossibilities to his Friend" by Robert Herrick
"Under a Juniper Tree" -- "Staffa" by John Keats
"The Trumpet Blowing" -- "Shameful Death" by William Morris
"Mermen Keep the Tone and Time" -- "The City in the Sea" by Edgar Allan Poe.
Some of the poems brought back memories. Others were new to me. The mysteries of some of the poems moved me immediately to read and learn a little further.
I have long loved the poems of Horace Gregory, and this book brought me to think about him again and about Marya Zaturenska. More broadly, the book brought back to me the power of poetry, imagination, and song. "The Silver Swan" made a wonderful companion for a bleak Winter's day.
The House on Jefferson Street: A Cycle of Memories
Horace Gregory
Holt Reinhart and Winston
9780030684852, $TBA, hardcover
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/House-Jefferson-Street-Cycle-Memories/dp/0030684854
Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/houseonjefferson00greg
The Autobiography Of A Treasured Poet
Horace Gregory (1898 -- 1982) received the Bollingen Prize in 1965 for his "Collected Poems". Over his life, Gregory wrote eight volumes of poetry, translations of Catullus and Ovid, a history of American poetry, biographies, and numerous works of literary criticism. Unfortunately, he is too little known today.
In 1970, Gregroy wrote an autobiography,"The House on Jefferson Street: A Cycle of Memories" that discusses his life through 1934. In that year Gregory received an appointment to teach at Sarah Lawrence College where he remained for 26 years. His book views this appointment as a watershed and his life up to that time as a coming-of-age story.
As am I, Horace Gregory was a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The "House of Jefferson Street" was located near downtown Milwaukee and owned by Gregory's grandfather and then by his uncle. For most of the time, Gregory's family had their own house in Milwaukee. The family was well to do. They would often stay at the house on Jefferson Street. Gregory was shy and introspective and suffered from dehabilitating medical conditions. He would immerse himself in the library in the house on Jefferson Street and developed a love of theater, art, and, especially, poetry. He had a good deal of private, in home education but also attended a private school.
The first part of Gregory's authobiography describes the house, the family, and his growth as a child. It also has describes the Milwaukee of his day. The scene then shifts to Madison, Wisconsin where Gregory spent his college years and received his BA. He discusses his professors, friends, meetings with literary figures and his determination to become a poet. He set out for New York City determined to be independent.
The sections on Gregory's early New York City life are the best in the book. He struggled economically, taking several hack writing jobs and being fired from more than one. He met and married the poet Marya Zaturenska, also a graduate of Madison, in 1925 in a marriage which proved lasting and happy. And as so many young people did at the time, Gregory became involved in Left Wing politics. and was a fellow-traveler writing in Left Wing publications such as "New Masses". This was the period of the Great Depression.
In his autobiography, Gregory claims he never felt comfortable with the Left or with communism. He found the political focus of the day ultimately shallow, even though he agreed with some Leftist positions. He believed poetry had deeper things to say to the human heart than did politics. While struggling in New York, Gregory's first book of poems, "Chelsea Rooming House" was published, as was his translation of poems of Catullus. I read "Chelsea Rooming House," poems of down and out individuals in the slums of New York, many years ago and the book has stayed with me. The autobiography suggests how Gregory drew inspiration for these poems in the lives he saw in his early years in New York. The book grows out of the Depression but, as Gregory hoped, transcends it,
The final sections of the book describe a trip Gregory, his wife, and two children took to London and Ireland in 1934 just before Gregory assumed his position at Sarah Lawrence. He met with many literary figures of the day including T.S. Elliott. The highlight was a meeting in Dublin with William Butler Yeats just before the Gregorys returned to America. This meeting, for Gregory, brought fulfillment to his vision from the House on Jefferson Street in his early days. He gained understanding of his vocation as a poet. Gregory's vision was rather more traditionalist than most American writing of the mid-20th Century.
Gregory's autobiography is little-read today but received some deservedly positive reviews upon publication. "Kirkus" described the book as "civilized, generously entertaining." It draws a parallel between Gregory's account of his "cultural/spiritual metamorphoses" and those of the Steppenwolf in Herman Hesse's famous novel. The review stresses how Gregory expanded his intellectual and personal horizonx through his education at the University of Wisconsin.
Gerald Sykes reviewed the book in the New York Times on February 21, 1971. Sykes observes that "no sane mother would ever pray for her unborn baby to be a poet." He finds that Gregory's book shows how he came to love his calling and his life. Sykes writes: "As the inhabitant of a frail body partially paralyzed from infancy and almost destroyed a few years later by a ruptured appendix, he has been so grateful to the muse that redeemed his many sufferings, which he always plays down, that he never stops to lament her present loss of popular prestige. He is content to pay homage to her andent place of honor and her many consolations." Sykes praises "the authentic beauty of this report, written perforce from the sidelines, on a quietly heroic struggle against almost impossible odds. We must admire the courage, wit and elegance of this man."
I have known Gregory's poetry for a long time and enjoyed reading his autobiography at last. It brought back memories of my own experiences in Milwaukee and Madison. It offers a portrait of the struggles and growth of a poet in Depression-era New York City. Horace Gregory has long been an inspiration to me.
Robin Friedman
Reviewer
Suanne Schafer's Bookshelf
Echo of Lies (#2 in the Lies Series)
Carol Potenza
https://carolpotenza.com
Tiny Mammoth Press
9798986769080, $6.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Lies-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0GJGCX4KD
I enjoyed reading the first in Carol Potenza's mystery series, String of Lies, and found I liked the second, Echo of Lies, just as much. Potenza writes of strong female protagonists who don't need to be rescued - my kind of women.
The newest protagonist, Francie Cortez, lives alone on her family ranch after enduring a string of life-changing circumstances: the disappearance of her father, the breakup with her beau, and being drummed out of the physics department at her university based solely on her gender. While she's out horseback riding, her life is shattered again when she sees something strange in the distance and goes to investigate. Her discovery sets up an intriguing murder mystery coupled with time travel and a burgeoning romance. This is a read-it-in-one-sitting book!
Potenza builds suspense on multiple levels, all flawlessly bound together to keep the reader avidly plugged in. I also liked the retro look of the cover as it reminded me of the old Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon mysteries. A scientist herself, Potenza makes the improbable seem possible. I enjoyed the appendices to the novel as much as the novel itself.
The Seed Keeper
Diane Wilson
https://www.dianewilsonwords.com
Milkweed Editions
https://milkweed.org
9781571317322, $9.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Seed-Keeper-Novel-Diane-Wilson-ebook/dp/B08ZSJS1B6
The Seed Keeper is a multi-generational saga told from the points of view of four different women. The primary story is that of Rosalie Iron Wing, who is orphaned young and sent to foster care. There, she meets Gaby Makespeace, forming a friendship that lasts decades. The other voices are women from Rosalie's past. Together these women tell the story of a band of Dakhotas from the days when they were herded to reservations to be starved and mistreated, later when children were kidnapped and sent to boarding schools, to the present when drugs, alcohol, and diabetes erode their lives as they endure generational trauma, and what it is like to be a Native American in a land of Whites. As Rosalie's father once told her, "forgetting was easy. It's the remembering that wears you down."
Rosalie marries a white man for the convenience of a home and safety but comes to love him and raises a son with him. When he dies, she returns to her childhood home after living thirty years away from the reservation, to the place where her father had taught her the stories of plants and how to use them along with legends of the stars and Dakhota people's origins. Rosalie has a huge void in her soul and with time begins to heal. She "remembered how it felt to be connected to each season, to listen deeply, to find a resting place within winter's isolation."
There is a Rachel Carson-type angle here as well as Rosalie's husband agrees to grow genetically modified seeds on their farm and uses toxic pesticides regularly. Rosalie - and her friend Gaby - realize the potential harm to the environment and to the seeds that form the basis of life.
A blend of fiction and history, this is a gorgeous novel that reflects the past and future of an aboriginal people whose strong matriarchs tended their men and their children, raised their crops, and passed on a love and understanding of nature.
The Thirteenth Tale
Diane Setterfield
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/search/books/Imprint-Atria-Books
9781416540533, $7.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Thirteenth-Tale-Novel-Diane-Setterfield-ebook/dp/B000JMKRKC
The Thirteenth Tale is a gothic mystery packed with family secrets and twists that keep the reader guessing. The elderly Vida Winter, the world's most famous living author, asks an unknown young author, Margaret Lea, to write her biography. Notorious for feeding the press with conflicting stories of her origins ("When one is nothing, one invents. It fills a void."), Winter promises to tell Margaret the truth. Winter may be telling the truth, but the reader's perceptions change moment to moment as the mystery of her past is slowly revealed.
The Thirteenth Tale is a strange mix of bizarre characters, ghosts, twins, a governess that disappears, and a family haunted by mental illnesses along with rape and incest while delving into identity, love, family, loss, and separation.
This is a book lover's book. It's packed with literary references to Sherlock Holmes, Withering Heights, etc, and a love of literature and writing pervades every paragraph of this work. Writing and insights about writing are the stars of this novel. Setterfield's writing is beautiful, lyrical at times, and the novel's twists and turns draw the reader further and further into the mystery
The Portrait
Emilia Kelly
https://www.emiliakelly.com
Independently published
9798986460918, $7.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Emilia-Kelly-ebook/dp/B0B9L5ZS8V
Not being overly fond of gothic novels, I rarely read them. Somehow, though, I ended up reading two in close proximity. The first, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, is a gem studded with literary references and chock-full of twists and turns and a strong female protagonist. The other, The Portrait by Emilia Kelly, is less successful.
The novel is set in London in the 1850s when the famous Crystal Palace is being built. Despite its great atmosphere, the book was rather disappointing.
The protagonist of The Portrait, Iris Sheffield, seems to be the archetype of the Victorian woman as set forth in Coventry Patmore's narrative poem, "The Angel in the House," a Victorian best-seller. Like this idealized vision of womanhood, Iris is modest, submissive, moral, and all-sacrificing. Her formerly wealthy family has had to sell their estates and move to London. She plans to marry a man she doesn't love in order to provide medical care and security for her father and tubercular little sister. Things begin to go astray when her fiance arranges to have her portrait painted by London's most talented painter. Iris ignores all the warning signs regarding her husband-to-be and lacks the wherewithal to get herself out of the morass she's gotten herself into. Rather than being a self-actualizing woman, she relies on others to rescue her.
Iron Lake
William Kent Krueger
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/search/books/Imprint-Atria-Books
9780671036904, $13.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Lake-Novel-OConnor-Mystery-ebook/dp/B000FC0QBQ
I really enjoyed reading William Kent Krueger's stand-alone novels such as Ordinary Grace and have always intended to read his Cork O'Connor books and have been collecting them to read in order. Some time ago, I started with #18 in the series as it serves as the prequel for the now 22-volume series. As Krueger continually puts out more books, I realized I'd better get busy.
Iron Lake is a page-turner with a body count that rises at every turn, action-packed yet much more than crime fiction. The protagonist, Corcoran O'Connor AKA "Cork" moves his lawyer wife and children back to his hometown of Aurora, Minnesota seeking a better life. Aurora is an archetypal American small town akin to Mayberry in the Andy Griffith TV series back in the day. Seemingly innocent, the town hides a dirty underbelly, and author Krueger brings this to the forefront and weaves important social issues into these thrillers as Cork deals with corruption, racism, justice, and inequality. After being recalled as a sheriff due to his actions in a tense standoff between the Anishinaabe and the white locals, Cork faces the end of his career, the death of his long-time friend, Sam Winter Moon, as well as the dwindling of his marriage. Despite these setbacks, he takes on the investigation into a series of murders with impunity.
Krueger's descriptions of the land and his characters are rich and lovely, even poetic at times. His research into the Anishinaabe culture and life on the reservation is impeccable.
Boundary Waters
William Kent Krueger
Atria
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/search/books/Imprint-Atria-Books
9781439120019, $13.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Boundary-Waters-Cork-OConnor-Mystery-ebook/dp/B003BRBCFG
In the second novel in the Cork O'Connor series, Boundary Waters, Shiloh, a young woman retreats to the wilds for a period of self-discovery. Her father, Willie Raye, arrives in Aurora looking for her concerned about her safety with the approaching winter. Ex-sheriff Cork O'Connor leads a small band into the wilderness to search for her. The FBI turn up as well, seeking her as a possible witness of the murder of her mother. They join Cork's band. Wendell, the Anishinaabe man, who had been carrying supplies to Shiloh, has disappeared, so his brother Stormy and nephew Louis tag along as well.
Cork's and his group aren't the only ones seeking the singer. Cork realizes his party is being followed by at least two men hoping he'll lead them to Shiloh. The body count rises rapidly as the mystery unfolds.
As in Iron Lake, Krueger's descriptions of the landscape and weather are extraordinary. The reader can almost feel the cold winters blowing across the lakes. His character arcs are nice as well with Cork being depicted as an honest, brave, but flawed human. Indian lore and culture are well-researched and respectful.
Purgatory Ridge
William Kent Krueger
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/search/books/Imprint-Atria-Books
9781439120002, $13.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Purgatory-Ridge-Cork-OConnor-Mystery-ebook/dp/B003BFXAQ2
When the local lumber company wants to harvest trees from the protected two-hundred-acre expanse of ancient great white pines near the town of Aurora, Minnesota, an environmental extremist, the Eco-Warrior, responds by setting explosives to bring down the mill and sets in motion an intense local conflict in the third of William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor Mystery series, Purgatory Ridge. The novel is again set in Minnesota but during a severe drought that's brought wild fires that pollute the fresh air of the little town of Aurora.
Cork is back living with his family, though he and his wife are still dealing with emotional baggage from events that occurred during their separation. When he decides to help the local sheriff investigate the arson at the mill, his actions put him at odds with his wife and the Anishinaabe. Tension increases when Cork's family is threatened.
This mystery has a lower body count than prior Cork O'Connor mysteries, but as there are so many potential villains that Krueger does a superb job juggling. This whodunnit is a tour de force.
A Stopover in Venice
Kathryn Walker
Anchor
c/o Penguin Random House
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780307270559, $5.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stopover-Venice-Kathryn-Walker-ebook/dp/B001E2WM68
A Stopover in Venice, per its blurb, should have had everything I enjoy in a novel: a woman rediscovering herself as her marriage winds down; a sojourn in Venice, one of my favorite cities; and art and art history. It ended up being a mixed bag.
It was a difficult read because the usual visual clues that facilitate reading are missing. There are no scene breaks, and as there is a double space between every paragraph, the reader wanders into a new scene with no advance warning and has to backtrack to figure out what's going on. The same with conversations. As there are no quotation marks, paragraphs frequently contain description, character reactions, etc. that may/may not be part of the conversation, so the reader again must backtrack to figure out what's going on. Also, conversations between the main character, Cornelia, and her soon-to-be ex, Antony, are cringeworthy in their banality. Everyone has had such conversations, but that doesn't mean readers want to read: Gotta go. Take care. Okay. Bye. The novel also bounces around in POV, even diving into the POV of a very minor character, the translator of the quattrocento journal entries.
That said, I did enjoy the arty parts of the story with the reveal of Giorgione and his love, herself an artist, though the "mystery" part was somewhat blatant. Parts of the story are told in fragments of this lover's journal. Fortunately, these sections are set apart with dates, otherwise the reader would be totally confused switching from the Renaissance to the present day without warning, especially since there is little difference between the voices of Cornelia and Giorgione's quattrocento lover.
Suanne Schafer, Reviewer
www.SuanneSchaferAuthor.com
Susan Bethany's Bookshelf
ATMOSFLORIC: Flower Colour in Home & Garden
Sean A. Pritchard
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781840919356, $39.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/ATMOSFLORIC-Flower-Colour-Home-Garden/dp/1840919353
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/atmosfloric-sean-a-pritchard/1147912982
Synopsis: With the publication of "ATMOSFLORIC: Flower Colour in Home & Garden", Sean Pritchard's explores and presents how to grow flowers for color and bring them indoors for visual impact and atmosphere.
The garden allows us to play with color. Unlike the colors in our interiors, color in the garden is fleeting and fickle, and with that comes an exciting opportunity to experiment with a changing performance of color month after month and to bring those colors indoors for constantly changing displays.
Colors are considered in this compendium of four mood-based chapters: Hot, Soothing, Neutral and Romantic. For each chapter comprising "ATMOSFLORIC: Flower Colour in Home & Garden" Sean reveals his favorite flowers to grow (with plant lists and inspirational planting plans) and shows them in a range of inspirational interiors. The glorious fi;; cp;pr photography was created by Sean, who has photographed some highly sought-after gardens and interiors in England and France.
"ATMOSFLORIC: Flower Colour in Home & Garden" also takes a personal look at color theory and explores the relationship that gardeners and gardener-artists have had with color through history.
Critique: This large format (7.9 x 0.81 x 9.6 inches, 2.49 pounds) hardcover edition of "ATMOSFLORIC: Flower Colour in Home & Garden" by Sean Prtichard is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly introduction to anyone with an interest in DIY flower arranging, gardening, and home decorating. Informative, inspiring, motivating, "ATMOSFLORIC: Flower Colour in Home & Garden" is strongly recommended for personal, professional, and community library collections. It should be noted that ""ATMOSFLORIC: Flower Colour in Home & Garden" from Mitchell Beazley is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Sean A Pritchard has a garden design studio based in London and Somerset. He came to his career in garden design with a background in fine art and brand strategy. Before setting up his design practice, Sean graduated with Distinction from the Garden Design School in Bristol. Sean has designed two show gardens for Macmillan Cancer Support, including the Macmillan Legacy Garden at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in 2022. He can be followed on his Instagram account, @sean_anthony_pritchard. Sean's is also the author of Outside In: A Year of Growing and Displaying (Mitchell Beazley).
Women and Their Jewels: 15 Iconic Women Through Their Jewellery
David Lelait-Helo
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781784729677, $39.99, HC, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Their-Jewels-through-jewellery/dp/1784729671
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/women-and-their-jewels-david-lelait-helo/1147414708
Synopsis: The word 'jewel' derives from the Old French word joiel, a word that finds its roots in the words for playing, joy, and enjoyment -- proof that jewelry is intimately tied to notions of pleasure and happiness.
For some, it is the pleasure of love, for others, an obsessive passion.
For Wallis Simpson, after the throne had passed her by, her jeweled treasures were her solace. As for Maria Callas, the soprano amassed diamonds and rubies to ward off the poverty of her childhood, and to spark the jealousy of a mother she hated. Barbara Hutton, America's most famous poor little rich girl, went around wearing a tiara, demanding to be called a princess. And they have been the cause of so much drama, Marie-Antoinette, whose diamond necklace identified her and sent her to the guillotine; Josephine de Beauharnais, who was also embroiled in a necklace affair involving Marie-Antoinette's pearls; Yvette Labrousse, Miss France 1930, and wife of the Aga Khan, who was robbed of her royal jewelry in the middle of the street...
With the publication of "Women and Their Jewels: 15 Iconic Women Through Their Jewellery", novelist and jewelry expert David Lelait-Helo provides a peek into the jewelry boxes of these illustrious women to discover their hearts and their minds -- and the jewels that adorned them.
Critique: Magnificently illustrated throughout with full color photos, "Women and Their Jewels: 15 Iconic Women Through Their Jewellery" by David Lelatit-Helo is an extraordinary tour through the jewel collections of fifteen movie and theatrical stars, famous (and infamous) celebrities, royalty and the ultra-wealthy. A fascinating and memorable compendium that is a 'must' for readers with an interest in elegant jewelry and the elegant women to whom they belonged, this large format (7.75 x 0.73 x 10.25 inches, 2.03 pounds) hardcover edition of "Women and Their Jewels: 15 Iconic Women Through Their Jewellery" from Mitchell Beazley is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Jewelry & Fashion Design collections.
Editorial Note: David Lelait-Helo is a novelist, essay writer, and biographer whose childhood dream was to become a jeweler. With little plastic pearls and pieces of aluminum foil, he would create entire collections of finery. In 2011, he was given the wonderful opportunity to admire the jewelry box of Liz Taylor, and the history of jewelry became one of his greatest passions. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4471049.David_Lelait_Helo)
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Willis Buhle's Bookshelf
Anatomy of a Gildy Episode
Peggy Adler
Tiggy Winkle Press
9798994240632, $18.00, PB, 67pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Gildy-Episode-Marjories-Gildersleeve/dp/B0GKWVPQSN
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anatomy-of-a-gildy-episode-the-whos-who-of-gg470129-marjories-hotrod-boyfriend-peggy-adler/1149405298
Synopsis: With the publication of "Anatomy of a Gildy Episode: The Who's Who of GG470129 Marjorie's Hotrod Boyfriend: The Great Gildersleeve, John Whedon and Beyond", author Peggy Adler offers a compelling, behind-the-scenes look at The Great Gildersleeve, one of radio's most iconic comedies of a yesteryear when Radio was king.
Through a single 1947 episode, Adler explores the artistry of Emmy-nominated scriptwriter John Ogden Whedon -- tracing his impact from radio's Golden Age to the birth of the television sitcom. With a full transcript, historical context, and insights into Whedon's multigenerational writing legacy.
As a bonus -- "Anatomy of a Gildy Episode" also features a free download link to the complete, original broadcast of "Marjorie's Hotrod Boyfriend".
Critique: "Anatomy of a Gildy Episode" is essential reading for fans and students of classic radio dramas and comedies, as well as pop culture historians and a 'must' for those of us old enough to remember listing to these radio shows, and those young enough to hear them repeated on late night National Public Radio stations. This paperback edition of "Anatomy of a Gildy Episode" from Tiggy Winkle Press is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library Radio/Media collections.
Editorial Note: There is an extraordinary and informative interview with Peggy Adler online at: https://www.bearmanormedia.com/blogs/news/q-a-with-peggy-adler-author-of-pallenberg-wonder-bears-from-the-beginning
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
www.midwestbookreview.com
Copyright ©2001
Site design by Williams Writing, Editing &
Design